Hopper-type mortar spreader

ABSTRACT

A mortar spreader which is provided with a hopper for receiving a supply of mortar to be applied to a footer or a course of blocks or the like preparatory to receiving a superimposed course. The hopper is mounted on wheels or rollers, including positively driven ones so it will be propelled along the blocks, is provided with guides for engaging the lower course to properly guide it therealong, which are retractable when necessary, and is provided with mortar-mixing and positive directing means to feed the mortar towards and through two outlets as two longitudinally extending parallel beads or ribbons on the shoulders of the block course or footer.

United States Patent [191 Foye [451 Feb. 12,1974

[ HOPPER-TYPE MORTAR SPREADER [76] Inventor: Albion G Foye, 885 E.

Dublin-Granville Rd. Apt. E., Columbus, Ohio 43229 [22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 319,620

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES'P'ATENTS 3,148,432 9/1964 Garnett, Jr 222/178 x 2,683,981 7/1954 Richey 1,654,540 1/1928 Files 222/240 X Primary Examiner-Stanley l-l. Tollberg Assistant Examiner.lames M. Slattery Attorney, Agent, or FirmMahoney, Miller & Stebens 57 ABSTRACT A mortar spreader which is provided with a hopper for receiving a supply of mortar to be applied to a footer or a course of blocks or the like preparatory to receiving a superimposed course. The hopper is mounted on wheels or rollers, including positively driven ones so it will be propelled along the blocks, is provided with guides for engaging the lower course to properly guide it therealong, which are retractable when necessary, and is provided with mortar-mixing and positive directing means to feed the mortar towards and through two outlets as two longitudinally extending parallel beads or ribbons on the shoulders of the block course or footer.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED FEB I 2 I974 SHEET 2 BF 3 HOPPER-TYPE MORTAR SPREADER Hopper-type mortar spreading machines have been provided in the past but have certain deficiencies. In most instances, they have not been positively and effectively driven so the operator must push the machine along the block course as well as rotate a crank to drive a paddle-type mixing means in the hopper as the machine is pushed along. This combined operation requires considerable force. Some of these machines have been provided with fixed guides for engaging the faces of the block but these interfere with use on footers or movement over pilasters. Also, the paddles used on the mixing means of prior art machines has not been shoulders of a lower course of blocks of the like without wasting mortar, and in such a uniform proper manner,- that, in most cases, it is merely necessary to set the blocks down on the applied mortar and press them in place in a level position without the necessity of adding to or removing from the applied mortar. The invention also provides a positive propelling means whereby the mortar spreader is easily moved along the lower block course as it spreads the mortar and provides guide means which cooperates with the lower course to accu- FIG. 5 is a plan view ofthe machine.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view taken from the position indicated by line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mixing and feeding paddles and material directing arrangement in the hopper.

FIG. 8 is an elevantional view showing a driving motor mounted on the hopper.

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of how the paddles act to force the material positively to the associated outlets.

FIG. 10 is a shcematic illustration in side elevation showing how the guides areretracted for movement over a footer.

FIG. 11 is a similar view showing how a guide lifts over a pilaster. I

With particular reference to the drawings, the machine of this invention is illustrated as comprising a hopper 10 which is adapted to be disposed upright and is fabricated to include opposed upright parallel side walls 11 and 12, having inwardly angled forward edges, an upright rear wall 13, and a forward wall 14, which is disposed between the side walls 11 and 12 and angles downwardly and rearwardly more sharply than the forward edges of the sidewalls to .provide a pocket 15 at the front of the mchaine as well as to provide a rearwardly angled material directing front wall at the interior of the hopper. This arrangement provides a wider rately guide it along the course so that the mortar is accurately applied in predetermined rows or beads at the edges of the block course. However, this guide means is of retractable type so that it can be set to ride over the surface of a wider footer or over a pilaster which projects outwardly from a face of a lower block course. The machine is further provided with mixing and feeding paddle units which exert a positive compressive and directive action on the mortar in the hopper, rather then merely an agitating action, to direct it at opposite sides of a guide baffle provided in the bottom of the hopper to press the mortar as two separate bodies firmly onto the upper longitudinal shoulders of the lower block course or the like and let it trail out in two ribbons or beads through a pair of guide outlets provided at the rear lower edge of the hopper. The arrangement of feeding paddle units, guide baffle and outlets in such that trowels on the hopper have been found to be unnecessary to properly apply the mortar. Also, the machine may be provided with adjustable outlet gates to vary the thicknessof the mortar ribbons or beads applied.

The best mode contemplated in carrying out this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view from the front or leading end of the machine.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a detail in perspective showing one of the guide outlets without a gate.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the machine showing the chain guard removed.

open upper end on the hopper and a lower end of less cross-sectional area which is the discharge end and will be referred to more in detail hereinafter. Across the pocket 15, intermediate the height thereof, is disposed a transverse rod 16 which extends through the forward projections of the sidewalls 11 and 12 and serves as a hand grip or handle. An additional handle is provided on the rear wall 13 by means of a forwardly-projecting U-shaped bracket 17 secured to that wall adjacent its upper edge and carrying a transverse bar 18.

The hopper 10 is provided with means for supporting it for movement along a footer or a lower course of blocks or similar surfaces to which the mortar is to be applied. In FIGS. 1 and 2 it is shown supported on a lower course of blocks B. This supportingmeans comprises two pairs of laterally spaced positively driven rollers 20 at the front or leading side of the hopper and a series of in-line rollers 21 at the rear side of the hopper.

The rollers 20 are preferably rubber-tired rollers and are carried by transverse driven shafts 22 being so laterally spaced that they will rest on the blocks at their side edges or shoulders. They preferably are spaced apart laterally to correspond to the width of standard block.

The rollers 20 are located at the lower end of the front pocket 15 outside the hopper so that they will not be affected by the mortar therein. The shafts 22 are supported by the bifurcations of a forwardly extending frame 23, the bifurcations being suitably fixed at the interior of the sidewalls 11 and 12. At the forward end of this extending frame, upright block-engaging guide plates 25 are provided and are shown in FIGS. 1 to '6 supportedin position toengage the respective faces of the block. Each-plate 25 is pivoted at its leading end at 26 for vertically adjustable swinging movement and at its opposite end is provided with a releasable clamping bolt and arcuate slot arrangement 27 for clamping it in an upwardly retracted position when desired. A similar guide plate arrangement 25a is secured to the respective sidewalls 11 and 12 toward the rear side of the hopper. Thus, four vertically adjustable side plates are provided for normally engaging the respective faces of the supportingcourse of block to guide the hopper therealong. Each of these guide plates is provided with a cam edge 29 at its leading lower corner.

The rollers 21 at the rear side of the hopper are carried by a rearwardly projecting angle member support 30 which is attached for vertical adjustment to the rear hopper wall 13 by means of a bracket 31 bolted to the face thereof by a bolt and slot connection 33. Each roller is carried for free rotation by a stub-axle 32 projecting outwardly from the vertical flange of the angle 30.

The machine is so balanced that the hopper will roll along on the rollers which will engage with the upper edges of the block adjacent their faces. The rollers 21 will engage the blocks along the center line of the course to prevent rearward tipping of the hopper and may be adjusted vertically to obtain the proper levelling and balancingThe depending guides 25 and 25a normally will overlap the respective faces of the block course on which the machine is rolling, to duide it in a straight path along the block course. As indicated in FIGS. 1 to 6, at this time the extended guides will extend below the lower edges of the hopper sidewalls 12 and 13 and need not be clamped in position. Thus, they will be free to move vertically if they encounter an obstruction such as the pilaster P indicated in FIG. 11. The leading cam edge 29 in that instance will contact the corner of the pilaster so that the guide will yieldingly swing upwardly and pass over the pilaster, dropping into guide position again when it clears the pilaster. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, if the hopper is to move over a footer F which is wider than the hopper, the guides may be retracted upwardly to a level above the lower edges of the hopper sidewalls 12 and 13. They can either be clamped in this upper position or be free to ride along the upper surface of the footer.

As previously indicated, to move the hopper along a course of blocks or a footer, the rollers or wheel 22 are positively driven. For this purpose, the roller shafts 22 extend through the wall 12 and have keyed thereon the sprockets 35, which are engaged by a drive sprocket.

chain 36. This chain extends upwardly around a sprocket 37 which is keyed on a transverse stub shaft 38. The shaft 38 (FIG. 4) is rotatable in a bearing carried by the side-wall 12 and projects outwardly therefrom to provide a crank-receiving projection 39. Mounted rotatably in the wall 11 in axial alignment with the shaft 38 is a similar shaft 38a which has a crank-receiving projection 39a. Crank 40 may be slipped on either projection. A guard 41 is preferably re'rnovably attached to the wall 12 (FIG. 2) to enclose the chain and sprocket drive. As will appear later, rotation of the shaft 38 or the shaft 38a drives the sprocket 37, which drives chain 36 to drive the sprockets and thereby positively drive the rollers 20. Thus, the hopper will be propelled along the course of block or footer in a positive manner by turning the crank.

If desired instead of propelling the machine by turning crank 40, an electric drive motor a (F IG. 8) may be substituted by mounting it on one side wall of the hopper to drive the associated wheel-driving shaft.

As previously indicated, the feed of mortar out of the hopper occurs at the lower end thereof. Within the lower end is a longitudinally extending inverted V- shaped mortar-directing baffle 45. This baffle extends along the longitudinal center line of the hopper, is carried at its forward end by the angled forward wall 14 and at its rear end by the upright rear wall 13. This baffle 45 forms two downwardly directed throats or throughs 46 of V-cross section (FIG. 6) providing the respective discharge slots 46:: at the bottom of the hopper. These slots are narrow in width and extend longitudinally at each side of the hopper. These downwardly opening slots 46a will permit the mortar at the bottom of the hopper to contact with and rest on the upper edge surfaces or shoulders of the block adjacent the respective faces thereof.

From the troughs 46 the mortar will emerge as two parallel beads M (FIG. 2) when the hopper 10 is propelled along the block, these beads being of proper depth and on the said edge shoulders of the block. However, it is to be understood that the beads do not necessarily need to be continuous. Whether they are continuous or closely longitudinally spaced small deposits will depend on the stiffness of the mortar, uniformity of movement of the drive crank,'etc., but is not critical as long as there is sufficient mortar to form a continuous joint when the next course of block is set thereon. Therefore, the term beads or ribbons is intended to cover either of these conditions. Topermit the mortar to properly issue from the troughs 46 and associated slots 46a to form the parallel beads M a downwardly opening outlet guide notch 50 is provided at the lower edge of the rear hopper wall 13 for each of the troughs. The mortar in the respective throughs will be resting on the block. edges or shoulders and forward movement of the hopper 10 will then cause mortar to emerge through the outlets 50 in proper amount to form the parallel beads M. The thickness of these beads may be varied by means of the selective setting of the gates 51 mounted on the outer face of the wall 13 by means of wingnut bolt and slot arrangements 52 (FIG. 2). However, these gates are not necessary in all cases, as indicated in FIG. 3, where the outlets 50a do not have gates associated therewith.

To keep the mortar in the hopper properly mixed and to feed it positively downwardly over the guide baffle 45 into the troughs 56 and ensure that the troughs will be fully packed with the mortar, a movable paddle and blade arrangement is providedin the hopper. This arrangement is indicated best in FIGS. 5 to 7 and 9 and consists of two units 55 and 55a movable both vertically and fore and aft in the hopper upon rotation of the crank 40 or actuation of motor 40a. Each unit 55 or 55a consists of a vertical stem 56 which has at selected levels paddle blades 57 which are disposed at various angles around the stem. The stems are disposed in laterally spaced parallel relationship and are held in that relationship by means including a crank tie rod'58 which extends angularly between them and has straight horizontal trunnion ends 59 which are rotatably mounted in horizontal bearing blocks 60 that are fixed to the respective stems 56. Crank arms 61 are pivoted at 62 at one of their ends to the outer ends of the respective blocks 60 and these crank arms are keyed at their other ends on the respective shafts 38 and 38a. The lower ends of the stems 56 are bifurcated and straddle the upright mortar-working blades 65 to which they are pivoted at 66 adjacent the outer ends of the blades. These blades are pivoted for vertical swinging movement at their rear ends by pivots 67 attached to the rear hopper wall 14.

Thus, when actuated by swinging of the crank arms 61, the two stems 56 of the units 55 and 55a will be moved vertically, since blades 65 will swing vertically about pivots 67, and swing forwardly and rearwardly about the pivots 66 carried by the blades. Because of the crank tie rod 58, one-unit will swing forwardly while the other swings rearwardly. At the same time, the blades 65 will be swinging vertically. These blades-65 are on edge and extend longitudinally in the troughs 46 and will thereby work the mortar down into the bottoms of the troughs in contact with the block surfaces. Each of the paddle blades is of inverted V or trough form so as to effectively exert a downward compressive action onthe mortar so as to positively feed it downwardly (FIG. 9). The lowermost blade 57 of each unit is directly over and in the same plane as the associated blade 65. The blades 57 are at such select angles about their respective stems 56 that mortar in the entire width of the hopper 10 is acted upon and the blades being of inverted V-cross section will compress the mortar and positively feed it downwardly. These blades act as agitators and mixers for the mortar but more important as means for feeding it positively down into the troughs 46. The blades 57 of the respective units 55 and 55a are so located vertically relatively that they will not interfere with each other during the fore and aft swinging and vertical movement of those units.

In using this mortar spreader, the hopper is filled with mortar and lifted by handles 16 and 18 into position,

' for example, on top of a course of block B. The gates 51 are adjusted in accordance with the thickness of mortar to be applied. The crank 40 is mounted on the selected side and then, if it is turned, the machine will be positively propelled along the block and guided thereon by the guides 25 and 25a. However, if operating on a footer the guides may be retracted. Also, they may be released to automatically pass over pilasters or other obstructions. The units 55 and 55a will agitate and mix the mortar and positively feed it downwardly into the troughs 46 into contact with the block due to the inverted'trough shaped blades 57. The vertically swinging blades 65, in the respective troughs 46, will ensure that the mortar will be worked downwardly into contact with the underlying block. This mortar will then emerge rearwardly from the outlets 50 as two parallel beads or ribbons M or mortar properly applied to the edges or shoulders of the block course, or other surface, ready to receive the next block course.

It has been found, in actual use of this machine, that the mortar is applied properly as parallel ribbons or beads with no waste and ready to receive the next course of block with no addition to or removal of mortar from the beads already applied. The blocks can merely be set in place on the mortar and will substantially level themselves without adjustments by the block layer.

The hopper is carried by traction means so that it can be moved along the supporting course of block with ease especially since the traction means is positively driven. The driving means also simultaneously drives the paddle and blade units to agitate and mix the mortar and feed it into the deposit troughs for flow through the outlet means at the aft ends thereof. Thus, an unskilled laborer can readily move the machine over the block or other surface and properly deposit the mortar ready for setting of the block without waste of mortar. The guides will effectively guide the hopper but can be retracted and clamped in that position or can be allowed to move automatically to a retracted position when encountering an obstruction.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A mortar spreader comprising a hopper for'receiving the mortar, means for supporting the hopper for movement longitudinally along a surface to which the mortar is to be applied, means on the hopper for directing the mortar to the bottom thereof, said means dividing the bottom of the hopper into separate laterally spaced chambers open at their lower sides, outlet passages at the aft ends of said chambers for permitting the mortar to issue therefrom as separate beads on said surface as the hopper is moved along, movable material directing units over each of said chambers including material-directing inverted trough-form blades for exerting a compressive directingaction on the mortar to move it positively into the chambers, said directing means comprising baffle means which separates the hopper into two longitudinally extending chambers open at slots at their lower sides and having rear walls, said outlet passages being formed in said rear walls as notches in the lower edge thereof, each of said material-directing units comprising a vertical stem carrying a plurality of said blades at selected levels, each unit also including a mortar-working blade pivoted to its lower end, said blade being also pivoted to the hopper for vertical swingingmovement in the associated trough, means for moving both said units simultaneously, and means for tying the stems together for simultaneous vertical and forward and aft swinging movement.

2. A spreader according to claim 1 including crank means for pivotally supporting the upper end respectively of said stems, said tying means serving to tie together said crank means for simultaneous movement but in different directions vertically and fore and aft of the hopper.

3. A spreader according to claim 2 including traction means for supporting the hopper for movement along the surface, and driving means connected to said traction means and to said cranks for simultaneously driving them.

4. A spreader according to claim 3 including roller units fore and aft of the hopper and outside the hopper for supporting it, the fore roller unit comprising laterally spaced rollers and the aft roller unit comprising rollers along the center line of the hopper, and means for mounting the latter unit for vertical adjustment.

5. A spreader according to claim 4 including guide plates mounted at the bottom of the hopper for guiding longitudinal movement thereof, said guide plates being mounted for movement between a guiding position dependent from the bottom of the hopper to a retracted position upwardly of the bottom. 

1. A mortar spreader comprising a hopper for receiving the mortar, means for supporting the hopper for movement longitudinally along a surface to which the mortar is to be applied, means on the hopper for directing the mortar to the bottom thereof, said means dividing the bottom of the hopper into separate laterally spaced chambers open at their lower sides, outlet passages at the aft ends of said chambers for permitting the mortar to issue therefrom as separate beads on said surface as the hopper is moved along, movable material directing units over each of said chambers including material-directing inverted trough-form blades for exerting a compressive directing action on the mortar to move it positively into the chambers, said directing means comprising baffle means which separates the hopper into two longitudinally extending chambers open at slots at their lower sides and having rear walls, said outlet passages being formed in said rear walls as notches in the lower edge thereof, each of said material-directing units comprising a verticaL stem carrying a plurality of said blades at selected levels, each unit also including a mortar-working blade pivoted to its lower end, said blade being also pivoted to the hopper for vertical swinging movement in the associated trough, means for moving both said units simultaneously, and means for tying the stems together for simultaneous vertical and forward and aft swinging movement.
 2. A spreader according to claim 1 including crank means for pivotally supporting the upper end respectively of said stems, said tying means serving to tie together said crank means for simultaneous movement but in different directions vertically and fore and aft of the hopper.
 3. A spreader according to claim 2 including traction means for supporting the hopper for movement along the surface, and driving means connected to said traction means and to said cranks for simultaneously driving them.
 4. A spreader according to claim 3 including roller units fore and aft of the hopper and outside the hopper for supporting it, the fore roller unit comprising laterally spaced rollers and the aft roller unit comprising rollers along the center line of the hopper, and means for mounting the latter unit for vertical adjustment.
 5. A spreader according to claim 4 including guide plates mounted at the bottom of the hopper for guiding longitudinal movement thereof, said guide plates being mounted for movement between a guiding position dependent from the bottom of the hopper to a retracted position upwardly of the bottom. 